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  • Open Access

Neutron reconstruction via blips in liquid argon time projection chambers

Miguel Hernandez Morquecho1,*, Bryce Littlejohn2,†, Paola Sala3,‡, and Linyan Wan3,§

  • *Contact author: hernanm@umn.edu
  • †Contact author: blittlej@illinoistech.edu
  • ‡Contact author: psala@fnal.gov
  • §Contact author: lwan@fnal.gov
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Phys. Rev. D 114, 012013 – Published 16 July, 2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/dkbs-j6g5

Abstract

Neutrons are important final-state particles in neutrino interactions, yet they are not considered or reconstructed in most current neutrino liquid argon time projection chamber (LArTPC) physics analyses. In this paper, we present a simulation-based proof-of-concept study of neutron reconstruction in a generic LArTPC detector. Leveraging isolated, MeV-scale energy deposits, or blips, from neutron inelastic scattering, and using realistic blip response from published experimental results, we demonstrate the capability to identify neutrons and to reconstruct the direction and energy of the final-state neutron system in sub-GeV neutrino interactions. We then explore how neutron-related blip attributes can be used to improve physics studies of neutrino interactions, such as enhancing neutrino-antineutrino separation in atmospheric neutrinos and reverse-horn-current beam neutrinos. This study provides an initial quantification of LArTPC neutron reconstruction capabilities, which we expect to improve with future advancements in blip reconstruction, identification, and classification algorithms, as well as the modeling of neutrons.

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Phys. Rev. D 114, 012013– Published 16 July, 2026
  • Received 10 April 2026
  • Accepted 17 June 2026
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